Wheel chair



9, 1966 J. v. KITRELL 3,264,658

WHEEL CHAIR INVENTOR. JOHN V. KITRELL J J. KlTRELL Aug. 9, 1966 WHEELCHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 20, 1962 INVENTOR. JOHN V. KITRELLUnited States Patent 3,264,658 WHEEL CHAIR John V. Kitrell, Lincoln,Nehru, assignor to Lincoln Carriage Corporation, Maricopa, Ariz., acorporation of Arizona Filed Dec. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 246,131

' 6 Claims. (Cl. -81) This invention relates to a wheel chair and moreparticularly to a wheel chair having novel features which facilitate thehandling of disabled patients.

It has been a problem to transfer a disabled patient from a bed to awheel chair or from a wheel chair to a bed without substantial manualstress or strain on a disabled patient. In most instances, a disabledpatient must be manually picked up and placed in a wheel chair in orderto transfer him from a bed to another location. This is particularlytrue in convalescing patients who spend part of their time in a wheelchair and the remaining portion of their time in bed. Such patientsbeing disabled to the extent that they are unable to handle themselvesin the movements to and from a wheel chair.

Many such patients are heavy and many of the at-' tendants or nurses arenot physically equipped manually to transfer such heavy patients to andfrom a wheel chair and especially when the patient is being moved intoor out of a bed relative to the wheel chair.

Various prior art wheel chairs have been devices to assist patients andtheir attendants. However, a great need has been recognized for a wheelchair which will readily transfer a patient directly onto the uppersurface of a bed without any hazard of dropping the patient on the flooror creating undue discomfort of the patient.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelwheel chair which is particularly adapted to handle disabled patientsand to deposit them directly onto the upper surface of a bed in such aman ner that they are transferred to a median portion of the bed withoutthe hazard of rolling off the edge of the bed during the placement ofsuch patients thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel Wheel chair fortransferring patients to and from a bed which comprises a novel framehaving supporting wheels disposed to run under the bed to support a loaddisposed over a median portion of the bed; said wheel chair structurealso comprising a vertically swiveled cantilevered seat which isdisposed to pass over the upper .surface of the bed whereby the seat maybe pivoted about a vertical axis and the back of the seat may be pivoteddownwardly into horizontal position so that a patient may lie inhorizontal position in the chair directly over the bed so that he maysubsequently be rolled onto a median portion of the bed at aconsiderable distance inwardly of the edge of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel .Wheel chairparticularly adapted for loading and unloading patients relative to theupper surface of a bed comprising novel wheel and frame structuredisposed to receive a patients bed below the wheel chair seat which isprovided with novel pivoted foot and back supports which may be disposedhorizontally subsequent to the pivotal movement of the seat about avertical axis whereby the entire seat, foot rest, and back reststructure of the chair may be disposed in superimposed relationship overthe upper surface of the bed at a considerable dis- .tance inwardly ofthe edge of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel wheel chairstructure which permits relatively frail attendants or nurses to loadand unload relatively heavy patients when transferring them to or from abed relative to the wheel chair of the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel wheel chair whichcontributes to the comfort of patients being loaded and unloaded to orfrom a bed relative to the wheel chair of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wheel chair in accordance withthe present invention, shown with the seat of the wheel chair overlyinga bed structure and wheel supports of the chair disposed beneath the bedstructure and illustrating varying positions of the chair, backrest, andleg supporting structure relative to the bed which is illustrated inbroken lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view taken from theline 22 of FIG. 1, but showing the padding of the seat structure removedand illustrating the seat frame and structure for pivoting it about avertical axis relative to the chair frame;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 33of FIG. 2 showing clutch structure of the leg rest of the invention indisengaged position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken from the line 44 ofFIG. 2, showing portions broken away and in section to amplify theillustration;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 5-5of FIG. 2, showing the reclining seat back hinge and lock assemblystructure of the invention;

:FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the wheelchair frame structure showing the turntable track assembly and itssupporting forks in an exploded view;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 8-8of FIG. 6, showing details of the turntable track structure and thesupporting forks therefor;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the mainwheel supporting frame structure of the invention disposed to permitforward and rearward adjustment of the main wheels of the wheel chair sothat the frame of the wheel chair may receive the edge of a bed, asshown in FIG. 1 of the drawings;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of the kick stand structure ofthe invention taken from the line 10-40 of FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the wheel chair of the presentinvention is provided with a main frame 10 having cantilever caster arms12 supported by wheel casters 14. These arms 12 are secured to themainframe which is provided with a horizontal slot 16 in which an axle 18 ofmain wheels 20 may be horizontally adjusted to move the main wheels 20fore and aft, as desired, for the purpose of receiving a bed structurewithin the wheel chair frame, all as will be hereinafter described indetail.

With reference to the slot structure 16, attention is directed to FIG. 9of the drawings, wherein the main frame 10 is shown on an enlargedscale. The axle 18 of the main wheels 20 may be moved to either of twopositions, as indicated by broken lines A or B, in FIG. 9 or the axle 18may be disposed in any intermediate position therebetween within thelimits 0f the slot 16, as desired.

From an inspection of FIG. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that bed,mattress, and box spring structures 22 and 24 are received above thearms 12 and that the casters 14 may be disposed thereunder aconsiderable distance from the outer edge C of the bed. Seat structure26 is supported above the casters 14 which are beyond the normal centerof gravity 28 of a patient on the seat structure 26. Thus, the wheelchair of the invention may be placed in a position wherein the casters14 are below the bed and a considerable distance inwardly .of the outeredge C and the seat 26 may be placed over the bed while the wheels 20,at their axles 18, may be disposed in the broken line position A in theslot 16. Thus, the periphery of the wheels 20 does not interfere withthe placement of the seat structure 26 above the bed and inwardly of theouter edge C thereof.

A kick'stand is provided for lifting the wheel chair frame and the mainwheels 20 clear of the floor for the purpose of adjusting the wheelaxles 18 in the slot 16. The kick stand is attached to the main frame bybolts 19-about which the stand members 17 may rotate to broken linepositions and be held in such positions by elliptical leaf springs 21reacting against the main frame 10 and a fiat side. of the stand member17. The kick stand members 17 are of a length sufficient to support thewheels above a floor at an elevation of about 1 inch, all of whichprovides sufficient clearance for the hereinbefore described adjustmentof the wheel, axlev longitudinally of each of the slots 16 in the framemembers 10.

The main frame 10 is provided with vertical frame structures 30, therebeing two of these upstanding frame structures terminating in handles32, at their upper ends. These handles 32 may be utilized by attendantsor nurses for handling the wheel chair with the patient there-Cantilevered from the upstanding members 30 which are fixed to the mainframe 10 are fork members 34.-

These. fork members are shown best in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings andare cantilevered from respective upstanding members 30 by fixed bracketportions 36- having pivoted latch levers 38 secured thereto. These latchlevers 38 are pivoted on pins 40 and are loaded by springs 42.

so that hook portions 44 of the latches will engage .protruding lugs 46on tubular structures 48 of a turntable frame 50, as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail.

Each of the fork members 34 is provided with rollers 52 pivoted on pins54 near the extending ends of these forks 34.

The turntable carriage is provided with side" rails 56 in which theforks 34 are disposed, as shown in FIG. 8

of the drawings, when the tubular structures .48are in the broken linepositions D shown in FIG. 6, of the drawings.

Supported in the frame 50 is a circular substantially C-shaped incross-section track 58 which carries rollers 60 which are rotatablymounted on pins 62 held in brackets 64 extending downwardly from theseat frame 66, all as shown best in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

Extending laterally between the channel-shaped frame members 56 arecross members 68 which support the C- shaped in cross-section circulartrack 58, all as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The seat frame 66 is preferably made of tubular mate.-

rial and is provided with curved members 70 and 72 secured by framemembers 74 and 76 to side members 78 and 80 which are coupled to atubular frame member 82 inthe normally front portion of the seat.structure 26. Footrest bracket members 84 and 86 are pivotally securedto the tubular member 82 and a conventional seat padding structure 88 issecured on top of the seat frame 66 over the members 70, 72, 74, 76, 78,and 80,:al1 as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings.

A backrest structure 89 is connected toupstanding members 90 and 92which are pivoted to the rear ends of the seat frame members 78 and 80.The seat back 89 is thus pivotal backwardly into horizontal position, aswill be hereinafter described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the reclining back hinge lockstructures for holding the seat back 89in juxtaposition are disclosed.These hinge locks are designated 94 and 96 in FIGS.' 1, 2 and 4 of thedrawings. These structures are similar and only the structure 94 will behereinafter disclosed. The seat frame member 78,

as shown in'FIG. 5 of the drawings, is provided with a bore 98 in whicha hollow shaft 100 is rotatable. The seat back frame member 90 is fixedto this hollow shaft and also fixed to the hollow shaft is an'externallyser.-: ratedor gear-toothedannular member 102 which is disposed axiallyaligned and adjacent to a similar externally gear-toothed annular member104 which is fixed to the frame member 78. i

An internally gear-toothed cup 106 is fixedto an end of a shaft 108which is rotatable internally of the hollow.

shaft 100. An internal cam member 110' surroundsLthe cup 106 and isprovided with a substantially helical in-- ternal cam track llzengagedby a projection 114 of the cup 106. A handle 118 on the internalcam 110permits it to be rotated for moving the helical track 112 and permittingthe follower portion114 of the cup 106-to move inwardly toward the frame78., The internal teeth ofthe cup 106 couple the external teeth of themember 102 'andIthe member 104 thereby locking them together since themember 1046s fixed to the frame78 and since the frame 90 is fixed. tothe hollow shaft 100 which is fixed :to the member 1023 The cup 106 thuslocks the frame 90 relative to the frame 78.

A washer 116 of they hollow shaft 100' is engaged by a spring 119. whichengages anotherwasher 120 on the shaft 108. In operation; the spring 119thus tends to retract.the.shaft.108 and the cup 106:into engagement;

with the gear-toothed members 102 and 104. Thus, when the cam member 110is rotated by the handle 118,-'the spring 119 forces the, internallygear-toothed cup 106 to engage the externally gear toothed members 102and 104 thus locking the backrest 89 in a certain. angular.

position relative tothe seat 26.5 Thus, the backrest 89 may be disposedat an incline; to the horizontaL. It; may be vertical, or ,itmay behorizontally disposed, as.

accommodate a persons legs when inthe chair and in sitting positiontherein.

Each of the footrest brackets 84 and 86 is provided with a detentstructure for holding these footrest structures in various angularpositions, all as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The bracket 84 is a tubular member. disposed internally and rotatablymounted in the tubular member 82. Fixed by pins 122 to the tubularmember 84 is a ratchet-toothed member 124. This ratchet-toothed member124 is'provided with an annular row of buttress teeth i126 disposed toengagesimilar teeth 128 of a detent member130 fixed by pins 132 to thetubular member 82.

A bolt 134 passes through both ofthe detent members 1241and 130 and acompression spring 136 is disposed on the bolt and held in;compressiveengagement with one end of the :detentmember130-by means of a nut;.138.'The bolt 134 and. spring 136 thus tend to force the but-.

tress teeth 126 and 128 together and to retract the bracket member 84inwardly of the tubular member 82. inasmuch as the pins 132"]10ld thedetent-member 130 stationary andthe spring 136 is engaged therewith.Thus, the footrest structure generally indicated at 140 in .FIG. 1 ofthe drawings, may be pivotedupwardly by simply raising the footreststructure 140 due to the inclination ofthe buttress teeth 126 and128-which will slide over each other by alternate compression of thespring 136;.

When it is desired to pivot the footrest assembly downward, the tubularbrackets 84 and .86 are pulled outwardly of the tube 82,thus forcing thespring 136 under compression to separate the but-tress teeth.126 fromthe teeth 128 thereby permitting freely pivotal movement of the tubularbrackets 84 and 86 relative to the tube 82 and thus permitting downwardpivotal movement of the entire footrest assembly 140 to a. desiredangular or vertical position.

Arm rests 142, at opposite sides of the seat 26, are supported onvertically disposed brackets 144 having lower ends 146 supported insockets 148 in the seat frame members 74 and 76, all as shown best inFIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Rotatably mounted on the brackets 36, are rollers 148 and 150; theserollers 148 and 150 being supported on pins 152 and 154, carried by therespective brackets 36.

The rollers 148 and 150 are vertically movable in hollow track structureof the upstanding members 30 so that the cantilevered fork structurecarrying the seat of the present wheel chair may be vertically adjustedup and down the vertical members 30, as will be hereinafter described indetail.

Projecting from the brackets 36 are hooks 156 and 158 which projectthrough complemental openings in a bracket 160 to which is connected alateral clip 162 carrying an internally screwthreaded nut 164 fixedthereto. ScreW threadably engaged with this nut 162 is an elevatingscrew 166 which bears against a thrust bearing 168 carried by a crossbar structure 170 supported on the members 10.

Accordingly, it will be seen that operation of the screw 166 by a crankhandle 172 provides for elevation of or lowering of the seat 26 inconnection with the brackets 36 carrying the rollers 148 and 150 whichtraverse the internal track structure of the upstanding members 30. Thisadjustment permits the vertical adjustment of the seat 26 to a posit-ionabove the upper corner 22 of a bed C, so that various beds of varyingelevations may be negotiated in such a manner that the seat 26 andfootrest 140 may be positioned to overlie the bed and to handle patientsrelative to the upper surface thereof.

In operation, a patient may be carried in the wheel chair of the presentinvention, sitting on the seat structure 26 and resting against thebackrest 89 which may be reclined between the upstanding members 30, ifdesired. The foot rest structure 140 may be disposed vertically orhorizontally or it may be disposed in various angular positions relativeto the vertical and horizontal. Normally, however, the patient iscarried with the backrest 89 in the upwardly directed position, as shownin FIG. 1 of the drawings, and the footrest structure 140 in the solidline position, as shown in FIG. 1. The wheel axle 18 may be in thenormally rear end of the slot 16, in the position A, as shown in FIG. 9,so that the periphery of the Wheel will clearly permit the Wheels 14 tobe dis posed under the bed and the wheel 20 will not contact the edge Cof the bed. Thus, the patient may be transported from some area towardhis bed and when the bed is approached, the footrest structure may bemoved upwardly into the broken line or horizontal position, as shown inFIG. 1 of the drawings, so that the wheel 14 or caster 14 may bedisposed under the bed and the footrest structure 140 may be disposedover the upper surface of the bed. Subsequently, then, the seatstructure 26 is rotated about a vertical axis through the center of thecircular track 58 by means of the rollers 60 which run in this circulartrack 58 forming a turntable for the seat structure 26 and permitting itto be pivoted about a vertical axis. Thesupports 64 carried by the seatframe 66 support the seat structure 26 on the circular track 58 and theseat, together with the footrest 140 are pivoted around to a position 90degrees from that shown in FIG. 1, into a substantially parallelposition with the bed, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. It will beappreciated that the wheel chair, as shown in FIG. 1, is disposed at theside of the bed and that the view of FIG. 1 is taken from the end of thebed. When the seat structure 26 is rotated substantially 90 degrees, theseat and footrest assembly will then be parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the bed and the seat back 89 may then be released by the members94 and 96 permitting the seat back 89 to pivot downwardly into ahorizontal position so that the entire bodystructure of the patient maylie horizontally over the bed and may then be rolled onto the bedinwardly of the edge C without any hazard of dropping the patient overthe edge C when loading him onto the bed. It will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that this operation may be carried on inhandling a very heavy patient and may be accomplished by a diminutiveoperator such as a small nurse without undue stress on either the nurseor the patient.

The reverse operation of loading the patient onto the wheel chair fromthe bed merely includes the rolling of the patient onto the wheel chairstructure with the footrest, seat, and backrest structures all alignedin a horizontal position above the bed and in close proximity to theupper surface thereof.

When the patient is on the wheel chair, the backrest 88 may be movedupward into a substantially vertical position, as shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawings. The seat 26 may then be rotated about a vertical axisconcentric with the circular track 58 substantially degrees, whereuponthe wheel chair may be retracted away from the bed to permit downwardlypivotal movement of the footrest structure and to thereby place thepatient into a normal upright sitting position for transportation orother activity, as desired.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the forks 34 maybe released from the turntable track frame 50 by pivoting the latches 38at their hook portions 44 out of engagement with the projections 46 onthe frame 60. Thus, the wheel chair and the forks may be moved away fromthe entire seat, footrest, and backrest structures when placed on a bed,if desired, so that the operator may load the patient onto the footrest,seat, and backrest structures Without being encumbered by the upstandingmembers 30 of the wheel chair frame. Further, it will be noted that thearm rest 142 may readily be removed from the sockets 148, ashereinbefore described, so that a patient may be loaded onto thefootrest, seat, and backrest structures of the wheel chair, all inhorizontal position on the upper surface of the bed without interferencefrom the arm rest 142 or the upstanding members 30 of the wheel chairstructure. When the patient is loaded onto the patient supportingstructure of the chair, the forks 34 may be forced into the channels 56of the frame 50 by means of the rollers 52 acting as anti-frictionmembers and thus, the entire footrest, seat, and backrest structures maybe picked up from the upper surface of the bed after the patient hasbeen loaded thereon.

It Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a mannerlimited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

-1. In a wheel chair the combination of: a main frame; a cantileverframe portion of said main frame having first supporting wheels of smallenough diameter to pass under a bed; second relatively larger wheelssupporting said frame and disposed to support said Wheel chair at theside of a bed, said larger wheels having. peripheries disposed in aposition adapted to be operated by a patient in said chair; a seat framepivotally mounted on said main frame on a substantially vertical axis,said seat frame cantilevered from said main frame and disposed in spacedrelation with and above said cantilever frame portion; a turntable meansrotatably supporting said seat frame on a vertical axis; secondcantilever means projecting horizontally from said main frame invertically spaced relation to said cantilever frame portion; andreceiving portions of said turntable means, said receiving portionsremovably mounted on said second cantilever means and relativelyengageably and disengageablyi by movementof said second cantilever meansand said main frame at substantially right angles relative to the axesof said second wheels and relative to said turntable means and said seatframe when said seat frame is deposited on a stationary support tothereby permit loading and un loading of the seat frame relative to themain frame.

2. In a wheel chair the combination of: a mainframe; a. cantilever frameportion of said main frame having first supporting wheels of smallenough diameter to pass under a bed; second relatively larger wheelssup-porting said frame and disposed to support said wheel chair at theside of a bed, said larger wheels having peripheries disposed in aposition adapted to be operated by a patient in said chair; a seat framepivotally mounted on said main frame on a substantially vertical axis,said seat frame cantilevered from said main frame and disposed in spacedrelation with and above said cantilever frame portion; a turntable meansrotatably supporting said seat frame on a vertical axis; secondcantilever means projecting horizontally from said main frame invertically spaced relation to said cantilever frame portion; andreceiving portions of said turntable means, said receiving portionsremovably mounted on said second cantilever means and relativelyengageably and disengageably by movementof said second cantilever meansand said main frame at substantially right angles relative to the axesof said second wheels and relative to said turntable means and said seatframe when said seat frame is deposited on a sta-:

tionary support to thereby permit loading and unloading of the seatframe relative to the main frame backrest and footrest structure eachpivotedon a horizontal axis to said seat frame whereby the seat frame,backrest, and footrest structures may all be disposed horizontally abovea bed and pivoted into parallel alignment therewith about said verticalaxis.

3. In a wheel chair the combination of :a main frame; a cantilever frameportion of said main frame having first supporting wheels of smallenoughidiameter, to pass under a bed; second relatively larger wheelssupporting said frame and disposed to support said wheel chair at theside of a bed, said larger wheels having peripheries disposed in aposition adapted to be operated by a patient in said chair; a seat framepivotally mounted .on said main frame on a substantially vertical axis,said seat frame cantilevered from said main frame and disposed in spacedrelation with and above said cantilever frame portion; cantilever forkson said main frame projecting above and in the same direction as saidcantilever frame portion; a turntable frame removably mounted on saidforks and having pivot means providing a pivotal support for said seatframe about said vertical axis, said vertical axis being forwardlybeyond the peripheries of said second wheels.

4. In a wheel chair the combination of: a main frame; a cantilever frameportion of said main frame having first supporting wheels of smallenough diameter to pass under :a bed; second relatively larger wheelssupporting said frame and disposed to support said wheel chair at theside of a bed, said larger wheels having peripheries disposed in aposition adapted to be operated by a patient in said chair; a seat framepivotally mounted on said main frame on a substantially vertical axis,said vertical axis being forwardly and beyond the peripheries of saidsecond wheels, said seat frame cantilevered from said main frame anddisposed in spaced relation with and above said cantilever frameportion; an elevating portion of said frame, supporting said seat frame;and means [for actuating said elevating portion to move said seat frameupwardly and downwardly with respect tov said wheels said elevatingportion of said main frame being disposed rearwardlybeyond the forwardperipheral por- 1 tions of'said second wheels;

5., In a wheel chair the combination of: a main frame;

a cantilever frame portion of said main frame having first supportingwheels of small enough diameter to pass under a bed; second relativelylarger wheels supporting said frame and disposedto support saidwheelchair at a side of a bed, said relatively larger wheels havingperipheries disposed and adapted to 'be-operatedwhy a patient in saidchair, a seat frame pivotally mounted on said main frame; on asubstantially vertical axis, said seat frame cantilevered from said mainframe and disposed in vertically spaced .relationrwith and above saidcantilever frame portion and thereby adapted to be projected 'over.

a bed "when said first supportingwheels are disposed-j under a bed; axlemeans for said second wheels; and means supported on said frame; forholding said axle means in various forward and rearward positions onsaid frame to permit variations of Eoperatingpositions of saidsecondwheels forwardly for operation by a patient and backwardlyrelative to said main frame to clear the peripheries; of said secondwheels relative to the side of a bed when saidrfirst supporting wheelsare under a bed and forward relative to a patient supported on said seatframe above the bed.-

6; In a wheelchair the combination of: a main frame;

a cantilever frame portion of said main -frame;'first Wheels disposed tosupport said cantilever portions, said first wheels of small enoughdiameter to pass under a bed;- first axle means for rotatably mountingsaid first wheels 7 relative to said cantilever frame portion;.secondre1atively larger Wheels supporting said frame'rand disposed to supportsaid wheel chair, at a side of ;a bed, second axle means-for said secondwheels for rotatably coupling; them to said frame,,said relative1ylarger :wheels having; peripheries disposed and adapted: to be, operatedby a patient in said chair; a seat frame: pivotally mounted-on said mainframe on a substantially vertical axis, said seat frame cantileveredfrom said main frame and disposed in vertically spaced relation with andabove said cantilevered frame portion and thereby adapted ,to beprojectedover a bed whensaid' first supporting wheels are disposed undera bed; and meanssupported on said frame 1 for holding said first andsecond axle means-rand said first and second wheels in' various relativeforward and rearward'spaced positions on said frame to permit variationsof operatingv positions of said first and second wheels in order toclear the peripheriesof said second wheels relative to he side of a bedwhen said first supporting wheels are under a bed and forward relativeto said frame and a patient supported on said seatframe above the bed.

References Cited by the Examiner FRANCIS K. .ZUGEL, Acting PrimaryExaminer 'FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS; Assistant'lixaminer.

1. IN A WHEEL CHAIR FOR COMBINATION OF: A MAIN FRAME; A CANTILEVER FRAMEPORTION OF SAID MAIN FRAME HAVING FIRST SUPPORTING WHEELS OF SMALLENOUGH DIAMETER TO PASS UNDER A BED; SECOND RELATIVELY LARGER WHEELSSUPPORTING SAID FRAME AND DISPOSED TO SUPPORT SAID WHEEL CHAIR AT THESIDE OF A BED, SAID LARGER WHEELS HAVING PERIPHERIES AND HAVING AN UPPEROPEN END ADAPTED TO BE FLUSH WITH IN SAID CHAIR; A SEAT FRAME PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME ON A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, SAID SEATFRAME CANTILEVERED FROM SAID MAIN FRAME AND DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATIONWITH AND ABOVE SAID CANTILEVER FRAME PORTION; A TURNTABLE MEANSROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID SEAT FRAME ON A VERTICAL AXIS; SECONDCANTILEVER MEANS PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY FROM SAID MAIN FRAME INVERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID CANTILEVER FRAME PORTION; ANDRECEIVING PORTIONS OF SAID TURNTABLE MEANS, SAID RECEIVING PORTIONSREMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND CANTILEVER MEANS AND RELATIVELYENGAGEABLY AND DISENGAGEABLY BY